Improvement in boot-stretchers



D. `HAR R l S.

B'not-Stretchers.

Patented .lune 10. 1873.

l lill wl'rucsscs:

AM, P//oro-muaonAPH/c co. N Massa/wels maa-ess) UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

DAVID HARRIS, OF LITOHFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR `TO HIMSELF AND v JOHN TREMLETT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. t.

IMPROVEMENT IN BooT-sTRETcHERs.

` Specification forming part of Letters PatentiNo. 139,671, dated June 10, 1873 application filed February 12, 1813.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID HARRIS, of Litchfield, in the county of Montgomery and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new anduseful Improved Boot-Stretcher; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and true description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

, The object of this invention is to provide a simple, ready,land eicient machine whereby the stretching of boots and the like is accomplished combinedly for all the parts'of the boot proper, or independently at any desired part of same. The .nature thereof relates, first, in providing the body of the stretcher with a 'pivoted sole or bottom plate, connected and operated adjustably by hand-screw, for purpose of stretching the instep; secondly, in combination with bottom plate, and with the` hollow of the body, to the peculiar arrangement and construction of parts, consisting of a movable hump, wedge-shaped lever, and screw-connections, operated adjustably, to stretch any part from instep to toe thirdly, to the peculiar construction and operative connection of a counter or heel plate, by means whereof the process of lengthening or stretching longitudinally is accomplished; fourthly, to the arrangement and combination of all parts and their operative connections With the body of the stretcher, by means whereof the combined operation of stretching the instep, toe part, and lengthening the boot, can be accomplished at one and the same time.

To enable those herein skilled to make and use my said improvements, I will now more fully describe the same, referring to-' Figure l as a sectional elevation, dotted lines representing adjustable position of the movable parts. Fig. 2 is a detail transverse section on line w w. Fig. 3 is a top plan of bottom plate; Fig. 4, a bottom Aplan of the body of the stretcher.

A represents the last 'or body of stretcher. This is cast hollow, according to pattern, so as to receive the operating parts. B is the bottom plate. This plate has outward-inclined sides b b1, Fig. 3, so as to conform to the iuwardly-inclined sides a a', Fig. 4, of the bottom of body A, and thus form, when closed in same, a neat closing lit, Fig. 2. Further, the bottom plate B is formed with bearings b2, by

means whereof it is pivoted to turn on the end of a follower, O. The follower U is arranged to slide verticallywithinjthe body A, being guided in its action by its side grooves c, Figs. l andv 4. Further, to vertically adjust and operate the follower O the same is` con-` nected to a hand-screw,(l.l The hand-screw C is guided ani passes throughithe top of the The construction, arrangement, and operation of devices to stretch the toe part, are as follows: A movable solid hump, l), is cast or formed with projecting ends d d1, and at bottom face having a recess, d?, and, further, be-

ing ofthe curved outline, all shown in Figs. 1.

and 2. The projectiond of hump engages a recess, d3, in the toe part of the body, and the latter is further provided with lugs d4, to support said forward part of the hump. (See Figs. l and 4.) Sufcientbearing and play are thus afforded the hump to allow and, accommodate the motions to be imparted chiely to the rear part thereof. The end d1 of hump is first acted upon, and this projection serves also to estop the full completed action of hump. Thus formed, the hump D protrudes through the opening D, Fig. 4, when placed in the body A. The adjustable operation of the hump D is accomplished by the movements ot' a lever, E, follower F, and hand-screw F. The lever E is partly wedge-shaped, its constructive design being clearly shown in Fig. 1, the .ob-

ject of the facce of the Alever E being to operate against the bottom face of hump D, while the opposite face e1 of said lever simultaneously engages the topface of bottom plate B. The lever E by its shank is. pivoted at c2 to the bearing of the follower F. The follower F is arranged to operate vertically in the body A, which, for this purpose, has side grooves j.

(See Fig. 4.) The follower F is also connected properly to the hand-screw F', to be acted upon as well as follow up all movements of same, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The screw F' thus operates the follower F and lever E vertically, and the latter at the same time, by its bottom face e coming in contact with the top face of the bottom plate B, adjusts the same outward from body A. Simultaneously with this action, thelever E, by its upper face e" engaging the recess'or bottom of hump D,

forces the same upward. Thus the required movements for stretching the toe part of the boot are achieved.

To lengthen or stretch the boot lengthwise the heel-plate G is provided. The heel-plate G is constructed to conform outwardly to the counter, and at top` to form a bearing through which a hand-screw operates. G' is the handscrew; this connects to a socket-bearin g or follower, H, so as to impart to same a vertical motion, and in return motion to followr the screw. Pivoted at It to follower H is a connectinglever, I, the other end thereof being pivoted at h' to the bearings of the bottom plate. Further, to'the lever I two side links,'1', are connected, so as to be pivoted, respectively, at t' and t', the connection at t" being made with a bearing or lug projecting from the inside face of the counter or heel plate G. (See Fig. l.)

By the action of the hand-screw G', therefore, the counter or heel plate G is forced away from the body A in the operation of stretching, and drawn to said body in the release movement. Thus the boot can be stretched lengthwise, and this done withou operating lthe remaining devices.

By the combined operation of all the adjusting devices it is plain that the entire boot can be enlarged and stretched at the same time in length,.across the toes, and around the instep; also, it will be seen that the independent operation of effecting the stretching at any given part of the boot can similarly be effected by working the proper hand-screw.

The body of the stretcher is provided with proper holes to receive the inserted rounded lugs, or imitation corns, bunions, and the like.

Having thus fully describedmy said invenv tion,.what I claim is- 1. The bottom plate B,follower C, and handscrew C', arranged and constructed t-o operate, in combination with bodyA of stretcher, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The bottom plate B, hump D, wedge-acting lever E, follower F, and hand-screw F', arranged and constructed to operate, in combination with body A of stretcher, as and for the purpose setforth.

3. The heel-plate G, hand-screw G', follower H, lever I, and side links I', in combination with bottom plate B and body A of stretcher, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination Yand arrangement of bottom plate B, follower C, hand-screw C', hump D, wedge-shaped lever E, follower F, hand-screw F', heel-plate G, hand-screw G', follower H, connecting-lever I, side links I', and body A, all constructed to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of said invention I have hereunto set my hand.

DAVID HARRIS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W'. HERTHEL, J oHN TREMLETT. 

